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Prime Minister's Office
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The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi addressed the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort on the 77th Independence Day
Following are the highlights from his speech
- My dear 140 crore family members, the world's largest democracy and now many people are of the opinion that we are number one in faith even from the point of view of population. Such a huge country, 140 crore countrymen, my brothers and sisters, my family members are celebrating the festival of Independence today. I extend many best wishes to crores of people of the country and the world who love India, who respect India, who are proud of India, on this great holy festival of Independence.
- The movement of non-cooperation under the leadership of Pujya Bapu, the movement of Satyagraha and the sacrifice of countless heroes like Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, Rajguru, there would be hardly any person in that generation who did not contribute to the freedom of the country. Today, I respectfully bow down to all those who have contributed, sacrificed, performed penance in the country's freedom struggle, I congratulate them.
- Today, 15th August, the 150th birth anniversary of Sri Aurobindo, the great revolutionary and pioneer of spiritual life, is being completed. This year is the year of 150th birth anniversary of Swami Dayanand Saraswati. This year is a very auspicious occasion of the 500th birth anniversary of Rani Durgavati, which the whole country is going to celebrate with great pomp. This year is also the auspicious festival of 525 years of Meerabai, the head of Bhakti Yoga.
- This time, on 26th January we will celebrate the 75th anniversary of our Republic Day. It will have many opportunities in many ways, many possibilities, every moment new inspiration, moment by moment new consciousness, dreams, resolutions, to be engaged in nation building, perhaps there can be no greater opportunity than this.
- Last few weeks in North-East, especially in Manipur and also in some other parts of India, but especially in Manipur, many people lost their lives, the honor of mothers and daughters was played with, but in the last few days, there are continuous reports of peace coming in, the country is with the people of Manipur.The country should take forward the festival of peace that the people of Manipur have maintained for the last few days, and the way to a solution will emerge only through peace. And the state and the central government together are trying their best to solve those problems and will continue to do so.
- This is the first year of Amritkal, what we will do in this period, the steps we will take, the sacrifices we will make, the penance we will do, the golden history of the country for the coming one thousand years is going to sprout from it.
- Maa Bharti has awakened and I can clearly see friends, this is the period we have experienced in the last 9-10 years, a new attraction, a new faith, a new hope has arisen all over the world towards the consciousness of India, towards the potential of India, and the world is seeing this beam of light that has risen from India as a light for itself.
- This trinity of demography, democracy and diversity has the potential to make every dream of India come true. It is a period of great pride that today our population under the age of 30 is the highest in the world. In the youth below 30 years of age, my country has millions of arms, millions of brains, millions of dreams, millions of determination, with which my brothers and sisters, my family members can achieve the desired results.
- Today, my youth have given India a place in the world's first three start-up Eco-systems. The youth of the world is wondering, seeing this power of India. Today the world is technology driven and the coming era is going to be influenced by technology and then India's talent in technology is going to play a new role.
- Recently, I went to Bali for the G-20 Summit and in Bali, the most prosperous countries of the world, their leaders, also the developed countries of the world were eager to know from me about the success of India's Digital India, its nuances. Everyone used to ask this question and when I used to tell them that the wonders India has done are not limited to Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, the wonders India is doing, even the youth of my Tier-2, Tier-3 cities are shaping the fate of my country today.
- The children who came out of the slums are showing might in the world of sports today. The youth of small villages, small towns, our sons and daughters are showing wonders today. There are 100 schools in my country where children are making satellites and making preparations to release them. Today thousands of Atal tinkering labs are conceiving new scientists, inspiring millions of children to take up the path of science and technology.
- In the last one year, the way G-20 events have been organized in every corner of India, it has made the world aware of the potential of the common man of the country. The diversity of India has been introduced and showcased to them.
- Today India's exports are increasing rapidly and based on different parameters, the experts of the world are saying that now India is not going to stop. Any rating agency of the world would be making India proud.
- I can clearly see that after Corona, a new world order, a new global order, a new Geo-political equation is progressing very fast. All interpretations of the geopolitical equation are changing, definitions are changing. Today, my 140 crore countrymen, your ability to shape the changing world is visible. You are standing at a turning point. And the way India has taken the country forward during the Corona period, the world has seen our potential.
- Today India is becoming the voice of the Global South. India's prosperity and heritage is becoming an opportunity for the world today. Now the ball is in our court, we should not let the opportunity go, we should not miss the opportunity. I congratulate my countrymen in India also because my countrymen have the ability to understand the roots of the problems and therefore in 2014, after 30 years of experience, my countrymen decided to form a strong and stable government.
- When you formed a government in 2014 and in 2019, Modi got the courage to reform. And when Modi made reforms one after the other, the people of my bureaucracy, my millions of hands and feet, who are working as part of the government in every corner of India, they performed to transform the bureaucracy. And that's why this period of reform, perform, transform is now shaping the future of India.
- We have created a separate skill ministry, it will not only fulfill the needs of India, it will also have the ability to fulfill the needs of the world. We created the Ministry of Jal Shakti, which is laying emphasis on ensuring that pure drinking water reaches each and every countrymen of our country, water sensitive systems should be developed to protect the environment. Holistic health care is the need of the hour. We created a separate Ministry of AYUSH and today Yoga and AYUSH have become shining examples in the world.
- Our crores of fishermen brothers and sisters, their welfare is also in our heart and that is why we have created a separate Ministry for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairy, so that the people of the society who have been left behind get desired support.
- Cooperative movement is a big part of the economy of the society, to strengthen it, to modernize it and to strengthen one of the biggest units of democracy in every corner of the country, we have created a separate Cooperative Ministry. We have adopted the path of prosperity through cooperation.
- When we came to power in 2014, we were at number 10 in the global economy and today the efforts of 140 crore countrymen have paid off and we have reached number 5 in the world economy. We stopped leakages, created a strong economy, we tried to spend more and more money for the welfare of the poor.
- I am giving the account of 10 years to my countrymen from the Red Fort with Tri-colour as a witness.
- 10 years ago, 30 lakh crore rupees used to go to the states from the Government of India. In the last 9 years, this figure has reached 100 lakh crores.
- Earlier, 70 thousand crore rupees were spent from the treasury of the Government of India for the development of local bodies, today it is more than 3 lakh crores.
- Earlier, 90 thousand crore rupees were spent to build the houses of the poor, today it has increased 4 times and more than 4 lakh crores are being spent to build the houses of the poor.
- The bags of urea which were sold for Rs 3,000 in some markets of the world, my farmers got that bag of urea for Rs 300 for which the government of the country is giving subsidy of Rs 10 lakh crore.
- 20 lakh crore rupees have been given to the youth of my country for self-employment, for their business. The 8 crore citizens who have benefited from the Mudra Yojana have got the ability to provide employment to 8-10 crore new people.
- We gave about three and a half lakh crore rupees to MSMEs to strengthen them further.
- One rank, one pension was a matter of respect for the soldiers of my country, 70 thousand crore rupees have reached from India's coffers today to my retired army heroes and their families.
- The result of all the efforts we have made is that today, 13.5 crore of my poor brothers and sisters have come out in the form of new middle class by breaking the chains of poverty. There can be no greater satisfaction in life than this.
- 50 thousand crore rupees have been sent for the street vendors from the PM Swanidhi. In the coming days, we will further implement a program on the coming Vishwakarma Jayanti. On this Vishwakarma Jayanti, we will give about 13-15 thousand crore rupees to the people who live with traditional skills, who work with tools and with their own hands, mostly from the OBC community.
- We have deposited 2.5 lakh crore rupees from the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi directly into the accounts of the farmers of my country. We have spent two lakh crore rupees under the Jal Jeevan Mission to ensure that pure water reaches every household.
- We have started the Ayushman Bharat scheme so that the poor can get rid of the troubles they used to go to the hospital due to illness. He should get medicines, he should be treated, the operation should be done in the best hospital, we have spent 70 thousand crore rupees under the Ayushman Bharat scheme.
- The country remembers that if we spent 40 thousand crore rupees on Corona Vaccine, we have spent about 15 thousand crore rupees for vaccination of livestock to save them.
- We gave the medicines which are available for Rs.100 in the market from Jan Aushadhi Kendra for Rs.10, Rs.15, Rs.20 that saved about 20 crore rupees of people who needed these medicines. Now, from 10,000 Jan Aushadhi Kendras in the country, we are going to work in the coming days to attain a target of 25,000 Jan Aushadhi Kendras.
- We came up with a scheme in the last few years for my family members who live in cities, but in rented houses, in slums, in chawls, in unauthorized colonies. If my family members want to build their own house, then we have decided to help them with lakhs of rupees, by giving relief in the interest of the loan they will get from the bank.
- If the income tax limit of my middle class family is increased from two lakh to seven lakh, then the biggest benefit is to the salaried class, to my middle class. Internet data was very expensive before 2014. Now the world's cheapest internet is saving every family's money.
- Today, the country is moving forward with many capabilities, ably working in renewable energy, on green hydrogen, the country's capacity in space is increasing as well as the country is moving ahead successfully in the Deep Sea Mission. Rail is becoming modern in the country, Vande Bharat, Bullet Train also working in the country today. Today internet is reaching every village, so the country also decides for quantum computer. Nano Urea and Nano DAP are being worked on. On the other hand, we are also emphasizing on organic farming. We want to build semiconductors as well.
- We had resolved to make 75 thousand Amrit Sarovar in the Amrit Mahotsav of independence. Today, the work of construction of about 75 thousand Amrit Sarovar is going on. This in itself is a huge task. This Janshakti  and Jalshakti  are going to be useful in protecting India's environment. Providing electricity to 18 thousand villages, opening bank accounts of the masses, building toilets for daughters, all the targets have been accomplished with full force before time.
- The world was surprised to know that India administered 200 crore vaccination doses during COVID. My country's Anganwadi workers, our Asha workers, our health workers have made this possible. My country is the fastest in the world to roll out 5-G. We have reached more than 700 districts till date, and now we are preparing for 6-G also.
- The target we had set for renewable energy by 2030 got completed in 21-22. We had talked about 20 percent blending in ethanol, that too we achieved five years ahead of time. We had talked about exports of 500 billion dollars, that too was achieved before time and it increased to more than 500 billion dollars.
- We decided, which was being discussed in our country for 25 years, that a new parliament should be in the country, it is Modi who has made the new Parliament ahead of time, my dear brothers and sisters.
- Today the country is feeling safe. Today there has been a drastic reduction in terrorist attacks in the country. There has been a big change in the naxal affected areas also, an environment of big change has been created.
- For the coming 25 years, we should follow only one mantra, this should be the pinnacle of our national character- the message of unity. India's unity gives us strength, be it north, be it south, be it east, be it west, be it village, be it city, be it man, be it woman; We want to have our country as a developed India in 2047 then we have to live the mantra of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat, we have to characterize.
- To move forward in the country, the potential of an additional power is going to take India forward and that is women-led development. I have taken forward the topics of women-led development in G-20, the whole G-20 group is accepting its importance and accepting its importance.
- Today, India can proudly say that if any one country has the maximum number of women pilots in civil aviation in the world, then my country has them. Today, whether it is the speed of Chandrayaan, whether it is about the moon mission, my women-scientists are leading it.
- Today 10 crore women are involved in women self-help and if you go to village with women self-help group, you will find didi with bank, you will find didi with anganwadi, you will find didi who gives medicines and now my dream is to make 2 crore Lakhpati Didis .
- Today the country is moving towards modernity. Be it Highway, Railway, Airway, I-Ways , Water Ways, there is no area in which the country is not working towards progress. In the last 9 years, we have given a lot of emphasis on development in the coastal areas, in the tribal areas, in our hilly areas.
- We have started a program of Vibrant Border Village in the Border Villages of our country and till now Vibrant Border Village was said to be the last village of the country we have changed the whole thinking. It is not the last village of the country, the one visible on the border is the first village of my country.
- We have to make the country so strong that it can play its role for the welfare of the world. And today after Corona, I am seeing, the way the country helped the world in the time of crisis, the result is that today our country is seen as a friend of the world. As an integral companion of the world. Today, our country has acquired a new identity.
- The dreams are many, the resolution is clear, the policies are clear. There is no question mark on my Niyat . But we have to accept some realities and to solve them, my dear family members, today I have come to seek your help from the Red Fort, I have come to seek your blessings from the Red Fort.
- In the Amritkaal, in 2047, when the country will celebrate 100 years of independence, at that time the tricolor of India in the world should be the tricolor flag of developed India. We should not stop, nor hesitate and transparency and fairness are the first strong requirements for this.
- If the dreams have to be fulfilled, the resolutions have to be attained, then it is the need of the hour to fight the three evils decisively at all levels. The three evils are Corruption, Parivarvaad  and Appeasement.
- I have to take forward the fight against corruption. Number of chargesheets being filed in court are much more than before and even getting bails has become difficult, we are moving forward with such a firm system, because we are honestly fighting against corruption.
- Nepotism is the enemy of talents, it negates abilities and does not accept potential. And therefore, for the strength of the democracy of this country, liberation from nepotism is necessary. It is also important for Sarvajan Hitay, Sarvajan Sukhay, for everyone to get their rights and for social justice.
- Appeasement thinking, appeasement politics, government schemes for appeasement has killed social justice. And that's why we find appeasement and corruption as the biggest enemies of development. If the country wants development, the country wants to fulfill the dream of being a developed India by 2047, then it is necessary for us to not tolerate corruption in the country under any circumstance.
- All of us have a duty, every citizen has a duty and this Amritkaal is Kartavyakaal. We cannot back down from our duty, we have to make the India which was the dream of revered Bapu, we have to make the India which was the dream of our freedom fighters, we have to make the India which belonged to our martyrs, who gave their lives for the motherland.
- This Amrit Kaal is a time of duty for all of us. This Amrit Kaal is the time for all of us to do something for Maa Bharti. The resolution of 140 crore countrymen has to be converted into achievement and when the tricolor is hoisted in 2047, then the world will be praising a developed India. With this belief, with this determination, I wish all of you many, many best wishes. Many many congratulations.